If it was anyone else, he'd say that she was crazy. But he wouldn't let anyone, not even himself, get away with saying any such thing about his mate.

  Turning, he looked at her, enjoying the sight. The cloth she put on herself clung to the curves of her wet figure, showing her off in a way he'd never seen a woman before. Maybe there is some good in her wanting to cover herself after all. Her cheeks reddened as she saw his stare, and he grinned wider. Being looked at by her was almost as much fun as looking at her.

  The suns were lower in the sky when they emerged and the day had cooled, but it was still hot enough to stagger Emily, and she retreated back into the passage saying something in her own language.

  Zovak shook his head. This couldn't go on, and the clan's Elders would know what to do — but he wasn't willing to wait for the suns to go down before he took her to see them. Turning back to his mate he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder again.

  Emily cried out in shock, squirming in his grip, but he ignored her and ran, carrying her as quickly as he could to the tent at the center of the camp. The tent above which hung the skull of the great rorak-bear that marked it as the home of the Elders of the Clan.

  Ducking into the dark space within, he dropped Emily onto the furs. She scrambled to her feet, glaring at him, and when he couldn't help laughing, she hit him on the shoulder with a powerful thump, saying something in her strange language. Zovak was glad he didn't understand what she called him: it sounded awful.

  The Elders watched this display and laughed. Emily seemed to notice them for the first time and shrank away from them, hiding behind Zovak. He didn't know why they would intimidate her so, but if it stopped her from hitting him he'd take it.

  Two of the Elders were in their wolf forms, indicating that they weren't interested in speaking at the moment. The third, Darya, sat cross-legged watching Zovak and his mate with a wide grin on her face.

  "What is it that brings you to the tent of the Elders, child?" To Darya, anyone not an Elder was a child. She had lived long enough to see her grandchildren age, and no longer even pretended to keep track of how old other members of the clan were. "I've heard that you have found a mate, and now here she is. Shouldn't the two of you be off enjoying yourselves?"

  Zovak shook his head. "Would that we could, Darya. But she cannot speak our tongue, nor I hers, so I have come to you for help."

  Darya laughed again, the two wolves beside her laughing along. The other Elders might not want to be part of the conversation, but that didn't stop them from listening in and being amused.

  "Very well, child," Darya said with a shake of her head. "Bring her forward, let me look at who fate has flung at you."

  Zovak turned around to lift Emily, ignoring her protests and presenting her to Darya, who looked her carefully up and down. She tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully and nodded while Emily squirmed in his grasp.

  "This one is not of this world, Zovak," Darya said, stepping closer. Emily froze in his grip and the old woman gave her another careful examination. "Are you sure she is your mate?"

  "Certain." Zovak couldn't keep his annoyance at the question out of his voice. "I knew it as soon as I saw her, there is no doubt."

  Finding one’s fated mate was a rare thing, but the tales made it clear that it was an unmistakable sensation. He tried to keep his irritation down — after all, he hadn't entirely believed those tales when he'd heard them himself. But that was all past now that he had seen Emily, touched her, smelled her scent. There was no questioning what he knew in his bones.

  Darya nodded again with a grin that made her seem almost young again. "Oh, keep that sullen look out of your eyes, child, I have to ask these questions or I'd get nowhere. You wouldn't be the first male to claim he had a fated mate when all he has is a crush, but I can see the truth of it in your eyes. And in hers, scared though she is. Hold the poor girl still, and I will do what I can to help her."

  Zovak should have been insulted at the suggestion he might be lying. With anyone else, even his father, he would have been. But it was the place of the Elders to ask the questions no one else could. That meant they could help with problems no one else could solve, and if Darya could help then he'd put up with it. Not being able to communicate with his mate beyond the few words they could teach each other was more frustration than he could bear.

  6

  Emily

  Emily struggled helplessly in Zovak's grasp, but he was simply too strong to resist. He held her motionless without any sign of effort as the old lady approached, the two gigantic wolves curled up behind her watching. They looked amused, but Emily couldn't see what was funny about the situation.

  The old woman smiled at her, and perhaps she meant it to be reassuring. If so, it didn't work — Emily couldn't look away from the pointed teeth in the woman's mouth, like a monster out of a fairy tale. The scary kind, where the wicked witch in the woods eats the young girl up.

  Trying to pull away was futile, Zovak held her tight. And calling out for help would be useless too: the only people around were the strange aliens, and there was no sign any of them would help. I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of screaming, she told herself, shutting her eyes. Rationally she didn't have any reason to think that they meant her harm, but knowing that didn't help her believe it.

  She felt the old woman's hands on her face and tried to pull away. It was impossible — for someone who looked so frail, the woman's hands were surprisingly strong, and she held Emily in place. Humming some strange song, the woman's hand pressed into Emily's cheeks. She felt an icy sensation spreading through her head, like cold fingers sliding into her mind.

  "Get off me," Emily yelped, losing her resolve to stay silent as the weird feeling spread. The old lady chuckled.

  "Not yet, sweetie," she said. Emily froze. The words weren't English, but she understood them perfectly. Her eyes snapped open, looking into the strange silver eyes of the old woman. Humor flickered there, along with concentration.

  "I'm nearly done," she continued, adjusting her grip on Emily's head slightly. "Then we can talk properly."

  "How," Emily started, and then stopped. The words had come out in the same language that the aliens spoke. "Is this magic?"

  Chuckling, the old woman shook her head. "No, sweetie, don't be silly. But there are tricks, old knowledge, left to us from the time we walked amongst the stars. Learning and teaching languages, that's an easy one that every Elder knows."

  Apparently satisfied, she let go of Emily and stepped back. "There you are, that should be better. Zovak, let go of her would you?"

  His powerful hands released her, and without his support Emily nearly fell. Catching herself on his arm, she shook her head. It felt like it was over-full with new knowledge. Like she had an ocean of new words sloshing around inside a gallon jug.

  The old woman watched her carefully, silver eyes shining. Emily managed a couple of steps away from Zovak before she stumbled and sank to her knees on the furs.

  "What did you do?" she asked. The old lady laughed, amused but not mocking, as she sat down.

  "Our people have ancient knowledge, child. Just because we live simple lives doesn't mean that we are without wisdom! Those of us who live to my age master a few of the old tricks of the Clan. I am Darya, Elder of the Sun Shadow Clan and now that Zovak has foisted you on me, I shall try and answer your questions. It would not do for our greatest hunter to have a wife who knows nothing, after all."

  Emily blinked at that, looking from Darya to Zovak and back again. There were so many things in that statement that she wanted to know more about, but one thing stood out. "What do you mean, wife? I'm not his wife, damn it, I'm not anyone's wife."

  Darya laughed and sat back on her heels, shaking her head. "Not yet, perhaps. But you are his mate and he is yours, and there is no denying the truth of that. You will be married."

  She spoke with such an absolute confidence that Emily could only stare at her for a moment. That's crazy, she thought. I don't know Zovak, he's not even human, I'm not going to marry him. No matter how hot he is. She couldn't deny that she was attracted to him — how could she not be? Just looking at him sent a shiver of desire through her, he was so perfectly built. But that was just physical desire, or at least that was what she told herself.

  It took her a moment to tear her eyes away from Zovak and look back to Darya.

  "I'm not marrying him just because he was the first man I've seen here," she said finally. "I have to get home, back to Earth. I've already been gone too long."

  "This is your home now," Darya told her. "Zovak son of Koth will be the next leader of the Clan, and you will be by his side."

  "No!" Emily shook her head, holding up her hands to ward away those words. "No, it's not that simple. I have a life back on Earth, and I need to get back to it. Please, you have to help me."

  "I do not," Darya said. There was a steely note in her voice now. "You are part of the Clan, brought home by Zovak, and I will not help you leave. You are confused, dear, and will feel better when you've rested. Everything will be clearer tomorrow."

  I have to be back at work tomorrow. Emily bit back the words. Darya didn't sound as though she had any sympathy for that protest. Emily wasn't sure that she did either, given the job she was trying to get back to, but there wasn't any choice — that was the job she had.

  Zovak stepped towards Emily, offering her his hand. She stared at it as though it was a viper, edging away from him. "Come with me, Emily. I will take you back to my tent. Tomorrow you will feel better and your new life here will begin."

  For a moment, Emily considered giving in. It was tempting, very tempting. She could just rest and forget about her troubles. Would that be so bad? But the stubborn streak her mother had left her kicked in. She wasn't about to let these two tell her what to do and what to feel, she wasn't just going to give up.

  "I have to know what's going on," she said, shaking her head and backing away from his hand. Zovak didn't look pleased to be defied, but before he could speak, Darya held up a hand.

  "Let her ask her questions if it will make her feel better," the Elder said. "You go and speak to your father, Zovak, the two of you have important matters to discuss. I promised your mate I would teach her what she needs to know, and there's no reason not to start now."

  Zovak grumbled but stepped back again, and Emily sighed with relief as he left the tent. His presence was overwhelming, and maybe with him gone she could focus on what she was saying. Though the two giant, blue-furred wolves that watched her as she talked were hard to ignore.

  Darya watched Zovak go and then shook her head fondly. "Now we can have a proper conversation, child. I will answer your questions as best I can if that will help you settle in. Where do you want to begin?"

  "I don't even know what questions to ask," Emily said, shutting her eyes and trying to think. "How did I even get here?"

  Maybe if I know that, I can work out how to get back. Emily suspected that was a vain hope. Whatever apparatus Dr. Hughes had used to get her here, she'd have no chance of recreating it. But it was her only chance of getting home, as distant as that possibility seemed.

  "You came here through the Worldwalker's Gate," Darya said in the tone of someone used to teaching. "Or so Zovak said, anyway. Once, long ago, our people crossed the spaces between the stars through those gates. They were built on many planets by the Ancients who ruled the galaxy in the Old Days, before we freed ourselves from their rule. The secrets of making the Gates are lost now, along with so much else, but they can take you to wherever your heart desires. Sometimes the men still go through them to hunt on other worlds, but for the most part we are happy here."

  Darya gestured around in a movement that seemed to indicate the whole world, and Emily shivered. She hadn't seen much of this planet yet, but what she had seen was pretty inhospitable. Beautiful in its way, yes, but not easy to live on.

  "Why would anyone choose this planet to live on?" she asked, then blushed, realizing how rude a question that was. Darya just laughed.

  "It isn't that bad," she said. "It suits our way of life. Is your planet really that much better, or are you just more used to it?"

  "I nearly died just stepping outside," Emily objected. "The heat..."

  "Is there no weather at home that could kill you if you walked into it unprepared? If so, then your homeworld must be a paradise."

  Emily remembered the freezing winter weather she'd been out in just a day before. Okay, maybe she has a point. People die of exposure on Earth too. She stayed silent, not willing to concede the point aloud, but Darya's little smile showed that she knew she'd scored a hit.

  "The true reason we live here is because it suits our ways, and it keeps us far from those who would tell us what to do. We were enslaved by the Ancients once, and that will never happen again." The cold anger in Darya's voice made Emily shiver, and she knew with stone solid certainty that it was the truth. Every one of these people would die before they knelt to anyone. "We live close to nature, hunting for what we need and leaving the rest of the universe alone. There are no distractions from living the pure life here, and we are happy. You will be too."

  "I'm not one of your people," Emily said, shaking her head again. "How can you expect me to marry him?"

  "You are," Darya said. She leaned forward, taking Emily's wrist and holding it, her fingers on the pulse. "You weren't born to the Clan, but your blood is ours now. I told you that the warriors of our Clan sometimes walk between worlds to hunt — it is not unknown for them to come back with a bride from another world. This is not the first time this has happened, child, and it will not be the last. The two of you will marry and you will bear his children to lead the next generation of warriors."

  7

  Zovak

  Zovak stomped from the tent of the Elders, trying to control his anger. But how could he not be angry? His mate's only desire seemed to be to leave him, though he knew that she wanted him. It was clear in her eyes whenever she looked at him, in her touch and in her scent. There was no mistaking her need for him, any more than he could doubt his need for her.

  But as soon as she could speak his language she'd started demanding to be returned to her homeworld.

  I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't that. He shook his head, trying to focus on something else. The Elder would talk sense into her, that was what the Elders were for. In the meantime, Darya was right. He should pay his respects to his father.

  Koth waited in the shade of the spire at the center of the Clan's camp, looking old and tired. Soon he would be taking a seat in the Elders' tent, Zovak knew. Either that or he would leave the Clan and go on the final hunt. His heart ached at the thought of losing his father, but time could not be denied.

  "Son, how is your mate?" Koth asked, pulling himself to his feet with a visible effort as Zovak approached.

  "She is with the Elders now," Zovak said. It was an evasive answer, and he could see from his father's eyes that it didn't fool him. But Koth nodded and let it pass.

  "There are other things that we must speak about, son. Clan business that cannot wait."

  "As you say, father," Zovak said, happy to turn his mind to something else. He fell in beside his father and the two of them walked through the camp in the cooling twilight. One of the suns was already below the horizon and the other would soon follow.

  They walked in silence for a little while before Koth continued. "You know that you must take up my mantle when I am gone."

  Zovak nodded, wincing at the directness of that statement.

  "That is why you must show that you can best the Fire Wolves," Koth continued. "They have been challenging us for too long, and the Clan must know that you can face them down. And it is why you must claim a mate, one who can bear you strong children."

  "I will keep our Clan safe, father. You can trust me." Zovak felt his jaw clenching. No one was his match in combat, not in the Sun Shadows or the Fire Wolves or any other Clan, and the implication that he might not be able to defend his people stung.

  Koth turned sharply to face his son, straightening and looking him in the eyes. There was an impatience in his gaze, a hint of his old strength. "You think I don't know that? You are everything I could hope for in a son and heir. It's not me you need to show, it's them."

  He lifted his staff, gesturing around them at the Clan. "You have spent your life as a young man should, hunting and feasting and fighting. That much they know of you, but they need more. They will worry, and you must reassure them so that they will follow your lead."

  Zovak nodded, feeling the weight of his destiny again. To lead his Clan, to be the rock they leaned on in time of trouble, that would take more than the skills of a warrior — he would have to inspire trust and faith as well. That's why father was so keen to see me prove myself against the Fire Wolves, he thought. It would be a victory that the Clan would see, and bringing back a trophy from their camp would have shown everyone that he didn't fear their rivals.

  Bringing back an alien mate was not quite the same thing. He still had to prove himself to the Clan.

  "Do not worry, father," he said, putting his hand on the old man's shoulder and squeezing gently. "I faced three of their warriors to rescue Emily. Once she is settled here I will go north again and take a prize from the Fire Wolves that will have our Clan singing for a generation."

  "Good, good," Koth said, sinking his weight back onto his staff and relaxing. "I know you can do it, my son. You will be the greatest leader our Clan has had in centuries, strong enough to hold off the Fire Wolves."

  "The second greatest, father," Zovak corrected with a smile. "I couldn't hope to challenge your record."

  Koth harrumphed at that, but Zovak could tell he was pleased by the compliment. "Come, then, I should hear the tale of how you met this alien female in more detail. And the rest of the Clan should hear it too, if they are to accept her as their Ard's wife."

 

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